Women Tech Awards 2025: Celebrating Innovation, Impact, and Leadership in Tech

Salt Lake City, Utah — October 8, 2025

On October 3, 2025, the Women Tech Council lit up Salt Lake City with the Women Tech Awards, a celebration of women pushing boundaries in technology. Held at The Grand America Hotel's Grand Ballroom, the event brought together over 800 Utah tech leaders, rising stars, students, and volunteers—all united by one mission: elevating women in technology.

The Women Tech Awards have become the go-to stage for recognizing women who are creating new technologies, driving innovation, and inspiring Utah’s thriving tech community. For many, this recognition isn’t just an honor—it’s a career accelerator. The awards also celebrate a close-knit community, known for generous mentoring, strong networks, and unwavering support that helps women in tech grow and succeed.

2025 Women Tech Awardees

This year’s awards spotlighted innovative women across many sectors—from biotech to public service, from marketing to AI.

• Research Trailblazer – Amy McDonnell, Neuroscientist, University of Utah, for pioneering research shaping the future of neuroscience.
• Biotech Disruptor – Evita Weagel, CEO & Co-Founder, Eris Biotech, for revolutionizing biotech with bold new solutions.
• Leadership Excellence – Kathryn Armstrong, Chief Science Officer, USANA Health Sciences, recognized for her visionary leadership.
• Strategic Innovator – Kori Ann Edwards, Chief Strategy Officer, 47G, for turning strategic insight into measurable impact.
• Public Sector Innovator – Lynne Yocom, Fiber Optics Director, Utah Department of Transportation, for modernizing public infrastructure through tech.
• Growth Accelerator – Mary-Lou Smulders, Chief Marketing Officer, Dedrone by Axon, for driving market expansion through smart innovation.
• Distinguished Engineer – Mou Nandi, CEO & Co-Founder, Monere, for engineering solutions that matter.
• Tech Leadership – Shawnna DelHierro, Chief Information Officer, SoundHound AI, for guiding her teams through the cutting edge of AI.

The 2025 Women Tech Award Finalists:

• Brittney Vierra – Founder and Managing Director, Ciridian Consulting 
• Brooke Baker – Senior Manager, Data Intelligence, Prove
• Charushila Samant – Vice President, Goldman Sachs
• Dolly Chitta – CEO, TekHolding
• Emma Moss – AI K-12 Program Director, Utah State Board of Education; Digital Teaching & Learning Specialist, Canyons School District
• Heidi Barnett – President, Talent Acquisition, iSolved
• Janlynn Robertson – SVP, Senior Business Relationship & Project Portfolio Manager, Zions Bancorporation
• Kanika Gera – Senior Product Manager, Adobe
• Lauren Mason Carris – Senior Product & Learning Strategist, Codingscape
• Lynn Reichert – Community & Innovation Manager, Utah STEM Action Center
• Melanie Jordan – EVP & Director, Enterprise Retail Insights and Strategic Initiatives, Zions Bancorporation
• Michaela Hatch – Senior Scientist, Recursion Pharmaceuticals
• Natalie Clark – Vice President, Goldman Sachs

Rising Stars, Student Innovators, and Emerging Leaders

The awards also highlighted the next generation of tech talent. Rising Star Awards went to young professionals already making waves in their fields:

• Abbey Lasater Senior Data Scientist, Swire Coca-Cola 
• Alexis Cook Infrastructure Product Manager, Awardco
• Amelia Shelton Group Product Manager, Lucid Software
• Anindita Roy Vice President of Research, Seek Labs
• Kristen Hansen Strategy and Operations, Leland
• Melissa Daniels Nuclear Engineer, Nusano
• Sierra Melanson Data Analyst, Mobly

The awards also celebrated the next generation of STEM talent. Student Pathway Awards were presented to:

• Adrienne Madsen – Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Utah Valley University
• Jordyn Wilder – Mathematics with Statistics, University of Utah
• Kat Harvey – Chemical Engineering, Salt Lake Community College
• Kate Grandia – Data Analytics and Finance, Utah State University
• Rachel Serre – Information Systems, Brigham Young University
• Sarah Silvest – Biomedical Engineering, Weber State University

Impact Beyond the Awards

The Women Tech Awards also honored volunteers who have gone above and beyond through SheTech, a program giving high school girls hands-on STEM experiences. More than 15,000 young women have benefited from workshops, internships, and mentoring by these leaders, who include Adam Fairbanks, Alison Lutjemeier, and 10-year veterans Landen Garner, Victor Villa, and Violeta Vasilevska.

Sponsors

These achievements were made possible with support from industry leaders:

• Adobe – A global leader in digital media and marketing solutions.
• CHG Healthcare – The nation's largest physician staffing company and a top-rated workplace.
• Domo – A cloud-native platform that transforms data into actionable insights.
• Vivint – A smart home technology provider offering home security and automation solutions.
• Waystar – A healthcare software company simplifying revenue cycle management.
• Zions Bancorporation – A premier Utah-based financial services company operating under local brands in the Western U.S.

Explorer Day 2026: Inspiring the Next Generation

Looking ahead, the Women Tech Council invites volunteers to join Explorer Day 2026. It will take place on February 24, 2026. Growing in attendance each year, the 2026 Explorer Day is expected to host over 3,500 high school girls who will create new relationships, expand their horizons while exploring STEM careers through hands-on experiences. It is a remarkable opportunity for volunteers to mentor, inspire, and showcase what’s possible in technology.

Sign up to be part of this transformative day.

For more information about the Women Tech Council or the Women Tech Awards, visit www.womentechcouncil.com.